Urges Congress and President to enact "Do Not Disturb Act."
The resolution highlights the detrimental impact of unsolicited calls on consumers, citing findings from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which labeled these calls as the second most common method of fraud. The proposed 'Do Not Disturb Act' intends to mitigate these unwanted communications through updated anti-robocall protections. Furthermore, this act would leverage technological advancements to combat forms of fraud that exploit loopholes in existing regulations. The resolution emphasizes the need for continued research into effective ways to curb unsolicited calls from fraudsters.
SJR114 is a joint resolution that urges Congress and the President of the United States to enact the 'Do Not Disturb Act'. This act aims to expand protections against unwanted spam and scam calls, which have become increasingly prevalent. With Americans reportedly receiving over 2 billion scam calls per month, this legislation seeks to address not only the volume of these calls but also their irritating and often threatening nature. In 2023 alone, these calls resulted in over 195 million hours of wasted time, underscoring a significant burden placed on consumers, especially vulnerable populations such as senior citizens.
One notable aspect of this resolution is its response to the Supreme Court's ruling in Facebook, Inc. v. Duguid, which limited the definition of 'automatic telephone dialing system' to certain technological criteria. This loophole has allowed a myriad of robocalls to continue unabated. Consequently, the push for the 'Do Not Disturb Act' reflects ongoing frustrations with regulatory gaps that allow scammers to manipulate technology against consumers. There may be political contention regarding the scope and enforcement of these measures, as stakeholders balance between privacy rights and increasing consumer protection.